1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cat litter and, more particularly, to a cat litter possessing anti-odor and anti-microbial agents which is biodegradable and provides easy cleanup and lessens cat tracking.
2. Description of the Related Art
The cat litter industry is filled with a variety of litters that provide, collectively, a non-toxic and naturally safe, biodegradable, odor-eliminating, scented, anti-bacterial litter that clumps in a convenient size for easy disposal and which has little dust and reduces tracking by cats. Many litter formulas offer some combination of the aforementioned qualities, however, no litter offers each of these advantages in one litter formula.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for an improved cat litter formula offering the aforementioned advantages in one comparably priced formula. The development of the improved cat litter fulfills this need.
The use of non-clay based animal litters is not unknown. There are currently two groups of cat litter formulas that are now commercially available that are based upon the use of grains rather than clay-based litters. The first group is typified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,052, issued in the name of Sladek, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,305, issued in the name of House. The second group is typified by U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,634 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,569, both issued in the name of Kent et al.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,052, a litter is described using as its base material a treated wheat, and more particularly, used only whole raw ground wheat grain that is mechanically processed in order to achieve a 10-17% moisture content and a 250-2500 micron grain size. When formed of a hard red spring wheat, such a mechanically process whole wheat grain can function as a litter by absorbing aqueous fluids (due to the moisture content) and clumping upon receiving pet waste (due to both the particle size AND lack of any added gluten).
Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,305 also describes a process of making litter that uses as its base material a treated wheat. A naturally available wheat product is then modified by impregnating at subatmospheric pressure with a gas such as to reduce density, sugar content and cold water solubles. The gas used is sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, ammonia, chlorine, ethylene oxide, or propylene oxide, which essentially would result in a phase transfer leaching operation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,634 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,569, a litter is described that uses spent grain germ only, and more particularly, spent corn germ. Although the corn germ is described as being pressed or solvent extracted to remove the corn oil, in practice it is the spent corn germ waste from an unrelated corn oil extraction processing operation that is used as the starting point for the litter processing. The corn is cold pressed, and the oil extracted with hexane. Such use of waste stock from one process as raw material for an unrelated process is very well known in industry. The pressed corn germ is then processed mechanically to form discrete granules, after which binding agents and additives are incorporated such as to provide the corn oil process waste with characteristics that are acceptable as cat litter, i.e. fluid absorption and xe2x80x98clumpingxe2x80x99 of used litter. Finally, the particles must be ground to the appropriate size.
In sharp contrast to the two groups of cat litter formulas that are now commercially available, the present invention utilizes spent distillers grain as the starting material. Spent distillers"" grain is comprised of wheat, corn, rice, barley, or any combination that has previously been used in an alcohol fermentation process. In the alcohol fermentation process, the starch within the grain is converted to alcohol, and the fiber remains and is removed as a waste product. Current uses for this waste product is mainly as animal feed or organic composting material. By itself, spent distillers"" grain is not capable of being used as litter by itself, because the lack of starch will not allow for absorption or clumping. Similarly, this lack of starch content in the spent distiller""s grain, plus the fact that the oil still remains in the spent grain, makes it incapable of being used as a feedstock for any of the above mentioned prior art processes for converting grain to cat litter.
Consequently, a need has been felt for a cat litter possessing anti-odor and anti-microbial agents which is biodegradable and provides easy cleanup and lessens cat tracking.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cat litter that is non-toxic and naturally safe.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved cat litter that is biodegradable.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved cat litter that is odor-eliminating.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved cat litter that is scented.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved cat litter having anti-microbial agents.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved cat litter that clumps in a convenient size for easy disposal and which has little dust and reduces tracking by cats.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved cat litter which includes manufacture from modified corn starch.
Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, an improved cat litter is provided and includes manufacture from modified corn starch, Yucca Schidigera, anti-microbial agents, anti-odor agents, zeolite, distilled dried grains, and calcium carbonate for improving the litter density and for improving cost production.
Modified corn starch is a polysaccharide, which are the most common agents used in providing the cohesiveness, or clumping, of litter when used. Among the suitable agents that may additionally be used for clumping are dextrins, maltodextrins, flours, cellulosics, hemicellulosics, and the many varieties of starches.
Yucca Schidigera is a plant typically found in the desert regions of Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah and Mexico. Among its many properties, the Yucca Schidigera""s ability to bind and neutralize ammonia is relevant to the cat litter formula. Natural saponins, which are emulsifying or foaming agents, are found in the leaves of the Yucca Schidigera and are the chemicals responsible for binding and neutralizing the annoying and harmful odors associated with the ammonia formed in the litter after the breakdown of urea, which is found in cat urine. The natural saponins may also act to neutralize the odors associated with cat feces, as Yucca Scutigera is also used in animal foods to help neutralize feces odor within the intestinal tract of an animal so that when the feces are passed the odor is less objectionable. In addition to the natural saponins from Yucca Scutigera, additional anti-odor agents may be added to further curb the smell generated from waste deposited in the cat litter.
Anti-microbial agents are also added to help curb the initiation and development of microbes that may be harmful to cat and cat owner, such as molds. The anti-microbial agents may come from among sodium propionate, calcium propionate or other known chemicals. In addition to the agents suggested, additional anti-microbial compounds may be included with those already suggested so as to provide maximum protection against the formation of microbes, bacteria or molds.
The general method of manufacture of the cat litter formula is comprised of a mash distillation process and an extrusion technology process. A grain fiber that has been removed of all starch is incorporated with calcium carbonate, which is added for density only. To this mixture is added a modified starch, which creates inter-particle cohesion as well as density and bulk to the product. Zeolite is added for odor control, as well as to attract and trap ammonia. Yucca schidegira is added for additional ammonia control. The mixture is then extruded through a pellitizer, but does not need to be ground due to the fact that the material has sufficient inter-particle cohesion to allow particles of a sufficient size to remain, while mere mechanical handling of the product will prevent particles of too large a size to remain.